Lequel de ces billets est encore valable ?

to be

Breakdown of Lequel de ces billets est encore valable ?

• de: of
• ces: these
• encore: still

Questions & Answers about Lequel de ces billets est encore valable ?

Why does the sentence use lequel instead of quel?

Lequel means which one, while quel usually means which before a noun.

• Quel billet est encore valable ? = Which ticket is still valid?
• Lequel de ces billets est encore valable ? = Which one of these tickets is still valid?

So lequel is used because the noun has already been introduced by de ces billets, and French is asking for which one out of a group.

Why is there de in lequel de ces billets?

The structure lequel de + noun phrase means which one of + noun phrase.

So:

• lequel de ces billets = which one of these tickets

This is a very common pattern in French:

• Lequel de ces livres préfères-tu ? = Which of these books do you prefer?
• Laquelle de ces robes est la plus chère ? = Which of these dresses is the most expensive?

Why is it ces billets and not des billets?